Northwave Clan and Tribe: their first models with flat outsole

Published by Mountainblog on 05/09/2019.

You can be content with being one of many or crave to stand out. You can stay in the wake or call for your trajectories. When Northwave faces a new challenge, it does it in its own way. For this reason, during the last edition of Eurobikethey presented their first models with a flat outsole: Clanand Tribe.

The exclusive Northwave’s Flat Specific Sole System makes it debut on Clan, the most performing flat model launched by the Italian company in 2019. Clan was built to perform, and to be enjoyed flat out: that’s why Northwave realized abrasion-resistant welded upper, with large breathable mesh inserts to face even the hottest days and placed welded TPU reinforcements on the toe and heel for impact protection. The mesh tongue with customized padding combines protection and breathability, whilst the closure can be adjusted through non-stretch laces, easily stowed in the elasticated keeper. The Gravity FPS outsole, co-developed with Soles by Michelin, is realized with a compound for extreme stickiness and grip, keeping adherence on wet and slippery surfaces while still ensuring good durability. The tread design, inspired to Michelin’s Jet XCR tire, succeeds in providing maximum grip on pedals, with an extensive flat area with specific cuts, and control on different terrains, thanks to the strong sculptures on the tip – for progressive traction – and heel area – for braking and durability.

Tribe is the other flat model launched by Northwave in the 2019 season. Even a first look suggests that Tribe winks to passionate riders as well as those who are maybe less technical, but certainly attentive to the stylish and fashionable side of cycling. The suede upper with large mesh inserts makes the shoes light and breathable, whilst protection is ensured by the reinforcements with abrasion-resistant rubber prints on the toe and heel and a reinforced toecap, as well as the mesh tongue with customized padding. The non-stretch laces are easily stowed in the elasticated keeper. The Gravity outsole, co-developed with Soles by Michelin, also inspired by Michelin’s Jet XCR tire. The sole’s tread is meant to deliver stability – with the reinforced shoulders -, flexibility and adherence in the medial part, and control in the tip and heel area, with deeper sculptures for traction and braking power.

“From tyres to soles”. MICHELIN-branded soles enter the technical soles market as a new leader bringing innovative added value to the world of footwear. This initiative offers a unique formula to develop exclusive soles in partnership with strategic, high-performance brands, sharing the same values, desire and knowledge to bring innovation and tangible advantages to consumers in different target segments.

Tyres and shoes share the same vocabulary: footprint, sole, tread, rolling, stability, rubber and fabric. It is here that MICHELIN gets in the game by making the latest technologies available and sharing their technical innovations with JV International, the global strategic partner chosen by MICHELIN for the design, development and manufacturing of high-performance MICHELIN-branded soles, thanks to their long experience in technical footwear.

MICHELIN is more than an ingredient brand, but a strategic technological partner to develop high performance soles, linking MICHELIN know-how in “ground contact” with the competence of the partner brand.